LITTLE VALLEY — The Memorial Library of Little Valley has been awarded a $25,000 Bullet Aid grant to build a pavilion adjacent to its parking lot.
The new structure will enable the library to host outdoor programs in good weather and the community will also have use of it. Director Linda McCubbin said the library has had an urgent need for an outdoor shelter for some time now.
Due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, McCubbin said their limited indoor space is not large enough to social distance any programs. She said the staff needs a place to host programs, activities and fundraisers during good weather.
According to the New York State Library Association, the 2020 state budget allocated $23 million in bullet aid for education funding and public library support. The funds were made available through the state senate, assembly and governor combined.
All the public libraries in New York state had the opportunity to apply for the Bullet Aid grant. McCubbin said the state wanted to provide funding for something that each library found they needed because of the pandemic, but could not financially afford.
McCubbin said she received a letter from the office of Assemblyman Joseph Giglio, R-Gowanda, last April offering bullet aid funding for libraries. In early May, she submitted a Bullet Aid Request to build a pavilion and was notified in July that the library was going to receive the funding.
“During and after the pandemic, an outdoor pavilion will allow us more flexibility and room for activities, especially our summer reading program for children,” she said. “It will enable us to have arts and crafts, summer readings, spring planting projects, movies and community activities outside.”
McCubbin said she received the $25,000 bullet aid check from the state Dec. 20. Duane Smith, of S&S General Contracting in Cattaraugus, gave her a quote of $25,825 to build the pavilion. Construction is scheduled to begin mid-winter.
The building will measure 18 by 36 feet and will be attached to the parking lot, McCubbin said. It’ll have a cement floor, electricity and be handicapped accessible. There will be picnic tables where people can sit and work or eat. She said they hope to have removable sides to provide shelter during inclement weather.
Prior to receiving this grant, the staff was going to attempt to maintain a tent to host summer activities and fundraisers, McCubbin said. Now, library patrons and other community members will have a safe, comfortable place to enjoy outside events and activities.
“The pavilion will be wonderful for outdoor programs. We’ll be out of the sun and be protected from inclement weather,” she said. “It will give us a protected space for our programs, fundraising, concerts and crafts. The community and organizations will also have use of the pavilion but, to avoid conflict, they will be required to reserve the building.”
McCubbin said the Friends of the Library are going to purchase the library an eight-camera outdoor security system so they will have video surveillance all the way around the outside of the building.
“I’m so excited about the pavilion because this will give us protection from the sun and the rain. It’ll be nice to have a covered area,” she said. “We’re hoping that some of our bigger hometown companies will donate things like memorial benches and tables.”
It’s been a tough couple of years for the library. The library flooded from heavy rains in July 2019 and the doors remained closed to the public until November. McCubbin said the COVID-19 pandemic closed their doors again in March 2020. They opened for curbside pickup and limited service in late June that year and returned to full service a month later.
“Despite reopening, the public has been shy about returning to the library and it has been difficult to schedule program presenters,” she said. “Our mission to support the community has been compromised for almost two years and our fundraising efforts have been significantly impacted as well.”
McCubbin said they are anxious to return to full programming and fundraising, as well as implementing plans for more extensive outreach to improve their patron base.
